Herpes simplex is an infection by herpes simplex virus which is marked by the eruption of one or more groups of vesicles on the vermillion border of the lips, at the external nares, or on the glans, prepuce, or vulva. The infection is commonly recrudescent and reappears during other febrile illness or even physiological states such as menstruation. The infection has also been called, according to its site, fever blisters, cold sores, herpes digitalis, herpes catarrhalis, herpes facialis, herpes febrilis, herpes genitalis, herpes labialis, herpes mentalis, herpes preputialis and herpes progenitalis.
Herpes simplex virus type 1 is known as the "skin" or the "above the umbilicus" virus and type 2 is known as the "genital" or "below the umbilicus" virus. The two types cannot be distinguished in a culture, but can be distinguished on the basis of the antibodies generated upon exposure to the virus. The two types cross react with one another in the laboratory so that they are considered "cousins".
Various treatments of herpes simplex have been proposed. Asculai, U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,803 teaches that certain sorbitan derivatives have anti-herpetic activity and DeLong, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,612 teaches such activity for certain chalcogen containing heterocyclic compounds. Stedman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,355 discloses that certain cycloalkylamines have activity against herpes simplex and Fleming et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,578 teaches that certain bis-basic ethers and thioethers of xanthene and xanthen-9-ones have anti-viral activity.
It is the object of this invention to provide a new method of treating herpes simplex. This and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof.